


hey, noctis.

by orphan_account



Series: i'm no good without you. [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU, I mean, M/M, Right?, SPOILER WARNING FOR CHAPTER 15, and because he's a nice man, bc that sounds so kinky, but I can't, but IT HAS SPOILERS, but i love prompto more, even if it's not out yet, for the sake of the au, he's a good father i swear, i love him so much too, i love it, ignis is also the sass queen omg, ignis is such a mom though, is daddiolus actually a thing, just a thousand words long each, king regis is alive, noctis never caught on fire under his watch, that speaks volumes of the man, this is mostly composed of drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-16 17:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9282911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Hey, Noctis. Can I ask you something?"[aka, deep talks and shenanigans, featuring the prince, his shield, his advisor, and the boy he'd fallen in love with.]





	1. out of place.

**Author's Note:**

> i want to write my own story now, but uh, i'd get the characters wrong. and what's the best way to learn about them? why, psychoanalize them, of course!  
> ::please do note that i'm not just trying to understand them better (i still am, though), but i'm also trying to write better::

“Hey, Noctis. Can I ask you something?”

The prince groggily stood up from his sleeping position in the tent. Maybe if it had been someone else, he wouldn’t have even batted an eye, but this was Prompto talking to him. And for once in his life, he sounded actually serious. It lacked the usual brightness, playfulness that the younger one always voiced. And truthfully, it was setting Noctis off guard. Had something happened? He knew something was off besides his tone, it was the use of his name. Not a shortened version, not a nickname. It was his name.

“Yeah, Prompt?” Either way, he was still using Prompto’s nickname. He didn’t want the other to feel like he was mad after being woken up from his very deep slumber.

“Have you… have you,” the blonde -who was currently sitting against the tent itself while hugging his legs- merely shook his head. “Nevermind,” he cowered, his chin now resting on his knees.

Noctis frowned. There was obviously something wrong. Something really wrong. There was no way he was just letting his friend walk away with it. Especially if it was something important. And it was important, because Prompto never stuttered. “C’mon, you woke me up,” he drawled out some syllables. “Now you have to tell me.”

He hadn’t really meant to be so playful with this, but it was the easiest way to get Prompto to spill the beans without harassing the younger adult.

“D-do you ever feel out of place?”

It was barely audible above the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves and of the animals outside that still roamed during the night. However, Noctis still heard it, still listened to it. The usually over-excited voice was reduced to a timid whisper as the speaker closed his eyes tightly.

It made him really think (perhaps more than he would’ve liked to).

First, he thought about Prompto. Was that truly how he felt? They were best friends, but he hadn’t known that about the other. Was it because he had royal blood, and everyone else was connected to him because of that, and he wasn’t? Maybe because his friends were all inside the inner royal circle, and he wasn’t? Or it was because everyone was ever so painfully aware of their duties respecting the crown, but he wasn’t, because he happened to be one of the few kids who talked to Noctis during high school? And then the fact that he hadn’t known that about Prompto just made his heart clench painfully. He decided not to ask, because not only did he not want to push his friend, but also because he knew Prompto would talk to him when he was ready.

Then, he thought about the question itself. Did he ever feel out of place? Yes, sometimes he did. Especially when he had been at school. Everyone whispered about “the lonely prince”, who never talked to anybody. And while it shouldn’t, it did hurt. He had never meant to come as an intimidating, spoiled kid. He just never knew how to make friends, at all.

Luna? She had been practically forced to bond with him while he healed.

Ignis? They had known each other since they were children because he was his advisor.

Gladio? He was the King’s Shield, of course he had to stick around.

None of them ever had a choice in the matter. It really did change when he met Prompto, though. That day, when he walked to his school, he never expected anything. Not even to talk to someone, much less make a friend. So when his now best friend basically ran to him just to greet him, he had been really surprised. Even so when he talked with him. His intentions were so genuine, and he never asked anything back but his friendship. Prompto’d had zero relations with him or the crown, yet he was still around.

Could he ever ask for a more sincere friend?

No, he couldn’t.

Now, to answer. What could he even say? A quick glance towards his friend told him that the former wasn’t looking as chipper as usual. No, instead, he looked like he’d been without sleep for days, and he did look kinda… anxious. Couldn’t blame him, not really. After all, Noctis hadn’t answered yet.

“Yeah,” he finally admitted, knowing that this secret was safe. “Sometimes.” So maybe he didn’t say that it was most-likely his natural state, but a sometimes sufficed. Right?

Prompto visibly looked relieved, and he slightly nodded, like he understood. Then again, he did. Maybe Prompto was much more than he let on.

“…is there a reason you feel that way?” the younger questioned. It seemed like the words that came out from his mouth made him feel in pain.

Yeah, Prompto definitely was much more than just the camera, all-smiles kid.

“Not really,” Noctis answered. “I just… feel like that at times, I guess.” He resisted the urge to shrug. Not the best answer he could have given, but it was the shortest one. There truly wasn’t a reason why he felt that way, especially when he shouldn’t. He was the Prince, no need to feel that way. He knew he was welcome anywhere (as long as it wasn’t Niflheim territory), with anyone.

Prompto sighed.

Had he done something bad already? Had he not said enough? Maybe Prompto needed comfort. He frowned, and crossed his arms below his head. But if Prompto needed anything, he would just ask, right? Prompto was Prompto, after all. And Prompto sometimes didn’t even ask, just took what he needed (there were rare occasions in which needed was more like wanted, but they were so rare that no one ever said no). Then again, this was Prompto. He had the knack of seeming so carefree and innocent and simple, but truthfully? He was complex. Really complex. No one would ever notice that Prompto didn’t like something unless it was playful banter or he wanted the people to know.

It seemed like he hadn’t really done anything wrong, because it only took a few moments for the blonde to speak again. “I-if you were offered to have been born a-anywhere else, with any other parents, w-would you take it?”

The prince, for once, could not say, so he remained quiet.

Prompto, though, took his silence as an answer. He nodded once more minutes later, with vigor, and stood up, dusting himself off (even thought the tent wasn’t dirty- at all). Now, he was wearing a smile, and he looked like himself again. Noctis could tell it wasn’t fake.

“Thanks, Noct.”


	2. lizard.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s so cute!” the blonde basically squealed. It made Noctis feel kinda giddy inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, important stuff:  
> the king is /not/ dead in here because i sorta need him for this au. however, he is hiding with lady lunafreya, so his whereabouts are unknown to the gang.
> 
> i have so many stuff planned for this.  
> i don't even know where to start.

"Hey, Noct.”

Noctis wouldn’t really say it aloud, but he let out a silent sigh of relief. Prompto had been unusually quiet during the ride, and it had been weird. The common chatter or playful banter had turned into uncomfortable silence.

“Look at this!” the blonde gestured for him to come over.

Even Ignis and Gladio had been worried, so the former offered a break (as he usually did). A few minutes later, they had ended up in an unexpected parking lot… in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t even surprising anymore, almost normal. At least it was a nowhere with trees and animals.

The blonde had been the last one to get out of the car, deeply contrasting to usually being the second one (right after Noctis, and a millisecond before Gladio).

Of course, when he had gotten out, he had been all smiles and bubbly conversations.

Right now, he was pointing at a small lizard who was climbing a tree. Not a big deal for Noctis, who wouldn’t have even spotted it in the first place, but it was completely different for Prompto, who noticed everything going on around him. It was a good quality for a photographer, he guessed, besides having excellent timing and quick reflexes.

“It’s so cute!” the blonde basically  _squealed_. It made Noctis feel kinda giddy inside.

The youngest one of the four somehow got his camera out of thin air (the prince had never seen him carry it anywhere, but he always managed to have it at all times), and positioned himself, snapping a photo right before the lizard jumped into the bushes. Noctis didn’t really understand why he did anything that he did, but then again, it was Prompto. Did the guy even need a reason for doing anything?

Prompto raced after the small reptile, not making a sound. When did he even learn to do that?

He vaguely heard Ignis exclaiming something about a new recipe (he mentally prayed that it wouldn't contain lizards) to Gladio (and he was probably talking to him too, but he didn’t really notice at all) as he watched the shorter man focusing solely on his task. The pure look of concentration in his eyes was enough to know how much he really loved photography.

Noctis found out he really liked Prompto’s smile. He preferred it over a fake one, that was for sure.

He found himself smiling, too.

Prompto ventured deep into the woods, so Noctis followed close behind, careful not to make a noise, either. Neither Gladio nor Ignis made a move to stop them, but the prince had long since forgotten about them being there too.

The scenery was beautiful: surrounded by trees, birds singing, a clear sky, it was almost like a fairytale. He wouldn’t tell it to anyone, but he was glad he still had time to enjoy it. Who knew what would happen when this was all over. He didn’t want it to be over, he didn’t want this to change. It was his duty, though, to be the King.

Then, the sharpshooter abruptly stopped the chase, almost tripping the dark-haired prince who was startled by the sudden halt.

“Y’know, maybe we should camp here. It’s getting late,” he explained as he turned towards the other, raising his head to look at the clouds above them.

Noctis nodded, not really paying attention. His gaze was focused on how the sun reflected on the golden locks of his companion, but it wasn’t like he’d say that aloud.

“Besides, I miss Iggy’s cooking!” he laughed. “The restaurants’ burgers taste like plastic compared to his!”

“Yeah,” Noctis agreed, still not processing words (or thoughts, for that matter), but merely nodding along, focused on his friend’s looks under the sunlight.

“And we can make a huge campfire, and roast Gladio’s hair!”

“Uh-huh.”

“And then Iris can kick your ass at poker!”

“Yep.”

“Be careful with the daemons, though! I heard that they’re really awesome at pool.”

“Definitely.”

“Did’ja hear that chocobos are riding behemoths and killing creepy chancellors?”

“Yeah.”

“Then we can go swimming with the fedora-wearing imperials! I bet they’d look awesome in speedos!”

“Wait, what?” Noctis blinked, his mind coming back to reality.

Prompto feigned being hurt. “Aw man, you weren’t listening!”

The prince scoffed. “Yeah, like I wanted to imagine imperials in speedos.”

The blonde shook his head several times and lightly shoved the prince. “Man, now I can’t get it out of my mind!”

“You’re welcome,” Noctis huffed. “May your dreams be plagued with those monstrosities.”

Prompto laughed, and made his way back to the Regalia, Noctis following close behind.

This was nice. He didn’t have to think around Prompto, because whatever came out of his mouth would always be the appropriate response. He didn’t have to be concerned, either. And there was just something about the other that made him want to stay there forever, in a world with no worries and… imperials in speedos. Okay, maybe not, but still. If he were still allowed to wish, then he would wish to live in that exact moment forever, or at least grasp it tight and never let go. Maybe frame it in his wall, or keep it inside a wooden box in the backseat of the Regalia.

When they returned, Ignis and Gladio had just finished setting up camp and a small fire, because now they somehow read thoughts too. The smell of food was heavy in the air, and Noctis just realized how lucky he was. He never worried about having to miss a meal, or about having to sleep under no roof. The tent still counted, and they always had his dad’s car.

Prompto had actually brought a bag of marshmallows, and he’d exclaimed that he wasn’t going to let them go to waste, so everyone had to eat. Gladio complied quite easily, and it took a bit of coaxing that no, one or two marshmallows won’t kill anyone for Ignis to give in as well.

And just when the taller ones in the group were fast asleep, but a certain prince and a blonde were wide awake, a hushed voice was heard by willing ears.

“Hey, Noct?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! and thanks so much for all the kudos omg.  
> just so you know, i think i'll alternate stuff. a deep chapter, and a fluffy one. my small heart can't take all the feels, y'know?


	3. judge.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you ever feel that people are j-judging you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aah this story has become my life. i have another one planned to do, another au, and also promptis.  
> i don't know how many chapters i should do for this fic, but, see how i have a question for each drabble/chapter? well, i've got like 12 other questions to do, but if i also do a fluffy chapter between each question then this will have like 30 chapters??? and i mean i don't think it should have that quantity, maybe a bit lower, y'know? i only wanted this to have like 5 but now it's not gonna have five and it's prolly getting a sequel and i don't know anything anymore.

"Hey, Noctis. Can I ask you something?"

The sudden mention of his name made the prince’s head perk up. It hadn’t been that long since their last, _talk_ , had happened, but he wasn’t surprised either. He didn’t have anything else to do, really. Ignis and Gladio were off doing who-knows-what (though Noctis had a few ideas of their whereabouts, he didn’t share them for the sake of their privacy). He had been playing yet another pointless game on his phone (actually, it was one that Prompto showed him, and he deemed it cool enough, so he ended up downloading it for himself) when the wavering voice reached his ears, and he closed the app. The tone the blonde used still bothered him in a weird and mysterious way, but less than last time. It was saying something, he guessed.

Now, though? He knew there was something coming, so he decided to brace himself. “Yeah,” he answered, as calmly as ever. Wait, he wasn’t sounding the normal kind of calm at all. More like, waiting-for-a-thunder-to-strike kind of calm. Thankfully, the gunman ignored it. Well, he wasn’t sure if the other ignored it or not, but he liked to think that it was the former.

The owner of the voice was currently staring at the ceiling, his body resting on the bed. He looked like he was searching for all the answers in the world. Noctis would gladly give them to him if he could.

He waited for Prompto to muster up courage. The waiting itself didn’t really bother him. It was more the sense of loneliness that came from waiting, if he was being honest with himself. So, he decided to look around, because as Ignis always said, and he mentally quoted, “it’s better to be familiar with the place you’re staying in”. The window of their small motel room was slightly open just to let the breeze in, the curtains waving. The wallpaper was falling apart due to its old age, just as, in his opinion, everything did. The bed wasn’t as comfortable as he would’ve preferred it, but it was better than sleeping on the tent. The door leading outside was locked, mostly for safety, and partly, because Ignis felt like it would protect the prince more than leaving it only closed (it didn’t make sense, because most of the things that harmed him were far from civilization, appeared only at night, or could easily barge in- however, if it made Ignis feel better, then it was okay, too).

“Do you ever feel that people are j-judging you?”

It was a fair question. The small voice that spoke and stuttered couldn’t have belonged to Prompto, not _now_ , not _ever_. It was such a high contrast with that usual bubbly personality of his, and Noctis would _really_ prefer if the brightness in his eyes never left. It was only a wish, though, and he already knew that wishes did _not_ come true. They were just a _lie_ to tell children so they don’t stop hoping.

Even if he had that perspective on wishes, he wished he were a kid again. Go back in time, to _happier times_.

But then again, if he was a kid, then Prompto wouldn’t be there. Admittedly, his life would be easier, but it always felt like it was harder without a bit of humor in the darkest times. Even if it was just a lame joke about guns during a fight with the Imperials.

Maybe his childhood wouldn’t have been as lonely if the blonde had been with him.

He had always felt everyone staring at him, trying to break him to learn every single thing about him. He was the prince, after all, so it was only natural that people were curious about him. Sometimes it felt like it was much more than curiosity. Feeling the stares boring towards his back and into his mind always made him uncomfortable. It was an awful feeling, honestly. No one dared to speak to him, being too “shy”. They could go on ahead and stick their “shyness” up their asses, though, because he knew they weren’t really just shy. No, he knew they whispered behind his back. He heard them in the hallways during the time they had to go to classes, he heard them when he played outside, he heard them when he was walking towards Ignis, who always held his door open as kids.

He felt like people knew how _horrible_ as a person, as a human being, he was.

He felt like Luna thought he was weak.

He felt like Ignis thought he was incapable of taking care of himself.

He felt like Gladio thought that he was incompetent.

And while he couldn’t convince himself it was true, he didn’t know for sure that it was otherwise.

For one reason or another, he’d never think of Prompto judging him. Maybe it was what lead him to opening up in the first place. Yeah, that probably was it. Maybe they both had similarities they never knew they shared. Maybe they had similar thoughts.

It would get worse on those days. The days where he felt like he should just stay in bed all day because truth is, _no one cares_. They didn’t notice him at his own home, they didn’t notice him at school. What would it matter if he were to go missing? They wouldn’t mind, not at all. They’d probably celebrate, knowing how they are.

But he also knew that people cared. Or at least, his unexplained disappearance wouldn’t fit into their interests too well, so they’d _have_ to care.

For example, Luna wouldn’t like it if he left the city, because she had spent so long taking care of him. Ignis would think the time he spent tending to him was a waste. Gladio, well, it would only amplify his thoughts of the prince. They would at least send a search party, or something.

Then there was Prompto. Little, happy, ray-of-sunshine Prompto. The one person that had never stopped in their tracks for a single second to judge him or his actions. Well, he liked to think so. Really liked the idea.

It had taken him a few minutes to think of his answer, but now he had it. “Yeah,” he simply said, because that was how he worked. Think too much, say too little, sleep too much, and repeat. It was a simple cycle for a simple man.

He sarcastically smirked inside his mind. Yeah, right.

Was there a specific reason for that question, out of all? Had Prompto noticed any changes in his demeanor? Prompto, as sweet and oblivious he seemed, was pretty damn perceptive for his own good. He could notice anything before Ignis. He guessed it came from being a photographer. He needed to have a good eye and good timing for his photos to be special, right? Besides, even if he noticed anything at all, then it would be eventually forgotten. It just was how Prompto was. A sharpshooter, animal caretaker, cameraman, and Noctis’s best friend. He could be talking about a scenery he saw earlier in the day and start talking about a gun he saw on the shop, like, two years ago. He probably had ADHD, but honestly, no one really was against the mindless chatter.

Then, a thought struck Noctis and he frowned. “Do you feel like that too?”

Prompto shook his head, and turned around.

Noctis didn’t know if the blonde had been saying _no_ to him, or to himself. He didn’t ask.                  

“Thanks, Noct.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you haven't noticed yet, i love prompto  
> but i also want him to suffer.  
> i want all the characters i love to suffer. i'm a bad person, but really.
> 
> :::edit:::  
> look at this http://sta.sh/0ta0o0pguh5  
> man, 666 hits  
> it's my dream come tru e


	4. statues for the dead.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It happened so fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm not even sorry lol

“Hey, Noct,” Prompto took a moment to call his best friend (who also appeared to be the crown prince), then pointed at a building not too far away- one that Noctis easily recognized as a motel. “See that place over there?”

“What about it?” he asked.

Ignis and Gladio shared a look. A look he didn’t  _quite_  understand at all. A mixture of both concern and worry, but it had a bit of pride over it. Weird.

“It’s the first place where Gladio banged-”

The largest man had placed a hand on top of the blonde’s mouth, who quickly tried to pry it away with both of his smaller hands, to no avail. Gladio was  _way_  much stronger than him. The only advantage the smaller one had was his eyesight, but eyesight wasn’t helpful right now. Damn it.

It only made Noctis more curious than he already was.

“Who did Gladio bang in there?” he raised an eyebrow, partially in amusement.

“No one,” Gladio was quick to answer as Ignis pushed his glasses a bit closer to his eyes.

Okay, that was even weirder.

Prompto was still struggling to talk, his answers muffled by muscles. However, he was still trying. He deserved an A for effort, at least. He eventually stopped, though, and instead desperately pointed at Gladio, then at Ignis.

Noctis still didn’t understand.

The photographer was going crazy by now, pointing at both men and doing wriggly eyebrows. What the hell did that even mean? Said man raised his hands above his head in defeat, probably thinking that Noctis was too unbelievable. It wasn’t his fault, though. Prompto was too bad at explaining, and had always been.

Speak of the devil, Prompto used his last card, one that he had hoped he wouldn’t have to use (but here he was). He sighed- or at least tried to, because it was muffled anyway.

It happened so fast.

_He bit Gladio._

Noctis half-gasped, half-laughed, but his laughter was more horror induced than anything else. He could only wonder what Gladio would do.

Ignis’s eyes widened, and his jaw fell open.

The muscular man let out a scream- a very manly one, but a scream nonetheless, and released Prompto, exclaiming “what the hell?!”

In the heat of the moment, Prompto shouted. He had a death wish, alright.

“GLADIO BANGED IGGY!”

The blonde, as if he was possessed, sped off away towards their shared motel room. He was frantically running, scared for his own life, but he snapped a picture nonetheless. The light was pretty good and the focus on the expressions was just amazing.

Noctis took a moment to just _appreciate_ the pure looks of betray and disbelief on his friends’ faces before he too made a run for the room. He’d be safer if he stared out the window instead of being directly in front of them, that was for sure.

It took Ignis _exactly_ 7.8 seconds to compose himself, as he heavily blushed and coughed on his sleeve. It… wasn’t what he expected for breakfast, alright.

The prince swore he had never seen so much fire in Gladio’s eyes as he banged on the door, demanding he is let inside.

Prompto was so scared. “Close the curtains!” he yelled in a fit of desperation, before doing so himself, not wanting to wait for his best friend to do so. “I’m going to die,” he whispered, realization setting in. He turned to Noctis and shook him by his arms several times. “He’s going to kill me!”

Noctis patted his friend in the back, fully knowing he couldn’t do anything about it. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll put flowers in your grave.”

Prompto stared at him like he’d grown a chocobo in his hair. “Woah, thanks. Couldn’t ask for a better friend.”

The prince shrugged.

The banging on the door had not stopped, and he was sure that it wouldn’t. The extremely tall man was yelling threats (specifically about how he’d kick the door down if no one opened).

The blonde agitatedly grabbed the quickest thing- a chair, and used it to block the door. He tossed the dark-haired boy his camera, who caught it quick, knowing that it was the blonde’s most valuable possession and that he would die too if something happened to it, because said blonde did not care if he was the crown prince or not.

Prompto hurried back and forth, trying to bring heavy objects to stop the other man from entering.

Noctis settled with looking at the pictures his friend had taken. He had to admit, they were pretty good. Especially the last one he’d taken. That got full blown-out laughter from him. Ignis’s face was priceless.

Speaking of him, Ignis was outside, calmly leaning on the Regalia and looking contented. He didn’t look out of place like moments ago, but instead like he’d had a precious full night of sleep and the biggest breakfast of all.

Prompto was heaving, a hand on his chest, trying to calm down his racing heart.

“We’ll even make a statue for you,” Noctis said. “It’ll be called ‘The chocobro who gave his life to embarrass the Shield’.”

“You can’t see it,” Prompto deadpanned,” but I’m all excited inside.”

“You’re welcome. You can be riding a chocobo and all.”

“You’ll die too!” he pointed an accusing finger.

“Ignis will do it for us.”

Prompto seemed to consider. “Your statue can be of you fishing something.”

“The biggest barrelfish ever.”

“You can be wearing your snapback and all.”

Noctis raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Ignis would have a fit if my statue had my snapback.”

“That’s the idea,” Prompto smiled. He sure hoped it wouldn’t be his last smile, alright.

Seemed like Gladio didn’t go back on his word, though, because before any of them knew what was going on, the door was on the floor and Prompto was being carried to his grave as he flailed his arms, pleading for mercy.

Noctis _swore_ he saw Ignis smiling, but his smile wasn’t innocent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thankfully, no one's dead because my soul likes good things.  
> plus, how can someone suffer when they're dead, amirite?


	5. enough.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you ever feel… that what you do isn’t e-enough?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay. i'm officially alternating with fluff and angst right now.

“Hey, Noctis.”

Noctis heard his name being called, and naturally, he turned to face the speaker. It was a habit generally everyone picked up during their early childhood, but he was accustomed to listening immediately if his name or one of his titles was included in the conversation. He couldn’t afford to miss a thing, either, so… It was different when it was one of his nicknames, or when it was said with playfulness, because he knew there were no awful consequences for reacting a second later.

Prompto was sitting against a rock, his legs spread out, but he was half-hugging himself. It was a bit cold outside, anyway. His features were soft, and his hair covered in a bit of dirt. His bangs were covering most of his eyes, and what from Noctis could tell, they were closed.

There was no one else outside, not a soul in sight. Most animals were asleep, and daemons tended to be away from their camping sites. Ignis and Gladio had long since gone to sleep, tired of taking care of everyone. Couldn’t blame them. If it wasn’t for his thoughts invading his mind and not letting him even take a nap, Noctis would surely be snoozing right now. However, there was no sound coming from the tent either, not even Gladio’s snoring. It was weird.

It was calm, but it was also silent.

The silence was loud.

Noctis didn’t like it.           

“Yeah, Prompt?” he surely hoped that using the blonde’s nickname would put him at ease. It wasn’t unusual for Prompto to be nervous of anything, in fact, nervousness was probably one of his dominant traits. It helped sometimes, when he was nervous. It made Noctis stop for a second to think. Not even Specs could achieve that, not even with his mother voice.

Speaking of Specs, he would kill them both if they stayed awake all night and then complained all day.

The blonde seemed to consider his words, a feat that he rarely did unless it was one of _those_ conversations. The ones that they had both wordlessly agreed to not speak a word to anyone else about, and to take the secret to their graves so that no one else would know.

“Do you ever feel…”

Prompto paused. He seemed to think the question was important, so he was thinking again and again about it, most likely. Noctis gave him time, even if he did mind the suspense.

It only took a few seconds for Prompto to finish.

“… that what you do isn’t e-enough?”

Noctis took a big breath in.

 _Of course_ he felt that. Didn’t everyone, though?

He sure hoped so, at least.

It probably was because when he was a kid, one of his first memories was being told by Clarus that the future of the kingdom depended on him. And when he had looked up at his father with his big, baby blue eyes, he saw that it was the truth. Maybe he had hoped for something else, for his father smiling and saying that it was only a joke, but when he had seen the serious expression, maybe most of his insecurities came crashing down on him.

He had never truly asked for this.

To be royalty, he meant.

To be handed responsibilities ever since he learned how to stand up. Was it really that bad that he had wanted a normal childhood? No boring meetings to go to, no standing in front of a bunch of people he didn’t know to smile and hold his head high because that was what a prince needed to do, right? Sometimes he was envious of other kids at school. He looked at them and see that they could easily please their parents by not failing a math test, whereas getting the highest score on a nearly-impossible test didn’t even make his father look at him during a second more. Was it too much to ask for some attention?

His father’s health got worse with time, and it meant that he was either doing his duties as a king or resting. There was no longer time for him, you see, because the kingdom comes first.

And Noctis understood.

He really, _really_ did.

What was his life compared to the ones in the whole kingdom?

Well, it was nothing. Nothing at all. But then again, one day he would be king too, so he had people taking care of him. There was Ignis, who made sure he didn’t get into some deep shit and overall made sure that the prince was still breathing and not six feet under yet. Gladio was all for getting the young prince to defend himself.

Honestly, it made tears come to his eyes when he realized that those two weren’t that older than him, but they were also forced to be as mature as an adult from the moment they could speak. And it was all for the prince, of course. They never had a choice on the matter, because both of their families served royalty since unmemorable times. So, who cared what his advisor wanted? His job was merely to instruct the young prince, and he was never truly given the right to live his own life. Whatever that Noctis was forced to learn, Ignis already knew it. And then Gladiolus, who was so much better at him at fighting, even if he had started training since he was a kid. That also meant that, most likely, Gladiolus had been instructed since excessively early on how to handle swords.

He was angry. Angry that his friends were never given a choice in what they wanted to do with their lives. Taught only a thing, keep the prince alive and safe, and to put his life first above everything else. They never said anything against it, having accepted their fates since they were children.

And then here he was, complaining because he had it rough.

He always wanted to know, too, if he things he had done were what the people needed.

As a prince, he needed to make sure that others’ needs were first than his own.

But he hadn’t really made sure of that, had he?

No wonder some of the whispers he’d heard about himself were all about a spoiled prince. No wonder Gladiolus sometimes looked at him like he was a disappointment. No wonder Ignis didn’t want to leave him alone for more than five seconds without coming in to check on him.

Were they really his friends, or were they with him only because they had been forced to?

“A-are you okay?”

Prompto’s voice took him away from his thoughts. The blonde was close, closer than before, just a few inches away from him. His eyes were quickly scanning him, and he was slightly shaking. Actually, everything was slightly shaking. Why?

Then he just saw that it wasn’t an earthquake or anything. It was _him_. _Noctis_ was shaking. Not the world.

Something was sliding down his cheek, and he slowly raised a hand to wipe it. It was a tear. He was crying. But when had he started crying? Prompto looked like he didn’t know what to do. Neither of them did.

It was a huge surprise, bigger than it should be, when Prompto hugged him, both of his arms cautiously wrapped around him.

Noctis’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but hug back with vigor, taking in his friend’s heavy scent and trying to focus on it. It was like cinnamon, and what a day outside smelled like. It also had hints of gunpowder, but it was hidden underneath.

He barely registered that he was sobbing, and that he wasn’t the only one, but that was okay.

The blonde had his eyes shut tight, like he was afraid of opening them.

“T-thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!  
> i cried while writing this because as i write things, i notice so much more, y'know? and it's awful. poor chocobros. damn it. my heart can't freaking take all of this. screw you, square enix, ya hear? s c r e w y o u.


	6. chocobo dance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How come you haven’t gone mad yet?” Noctis asked the other two as he watched his best friend try to dance on top of his chocobo.
> 
> “It’s a mystery itself,” Ignis adjusted his glasses. “Though I assume it’s because I’ve had years of practice looking after you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i would do larger chapters but homework is a thing that exists and headaches are sorta real too  
> so, yeah, sorry//

“Hey, Noct!”

Prompto had been yelling all day, for one reason or another. Honestly. He’d been so expressive today, and Noctis knew that it was getting on Ignis’s nerves (the man had been sighing every second, but the prince was just secretly glad that it wasn’t _his_ doing for once).

“Look!”

Gladio groaned, a sound that was becoming more and more common today. He was getting exasperated.

Noctis gave a quick glance towards the blonde, because he was focused on not falling off his chocobo today.

Prompto was probably thinking the opposite thing, because he was trying to stand up on his poor chocobo. His feet were wobbly and he was visibly panicking as his body was shaking with each step his chocobo took, and his hair was rustled by the wind, not allowing him to see the road ahead of him. Instead of looking petrified, he was smiling widely, and his eyes were sparkling with amusement and pride.

Well, he hadn’t fallen off yet, so it was a great start.

Noctis couldn’t help but snort, though, because it looked absolutely hilarious.

Ignis sighed once more, watching the blonde smile and tug at the leash to keep his balance. A second later, he stiffened. The prince knew it was because he was trying to keep his laughter in.

Gladio, on the other hand, was rolling his eyes (he had a smile too, though) and trying to slow down for the sake of everyone else.

He knew he could always count on Prompto to make everyone stop sulking, alright.

The blonde was trying to model, making kissy faces and gasping every several change of pose. He was also trying his hardest not to fall, and you could see the fear in his eyes, but that was easily overcome by his energy and his will to stay standing on the chocobo.

Honestly, that boy.

Every few seconds he’d let out a small shriek or a yelp, because wow, chocobo can still be pretty wild, okay?

It was funnier than it should be, truthfully.

Prompto always did some stupid thing to see if he could make the others laugh, but this one time he had succeeded, so he was basking in the glory of it and feeling better than usual. The pride on his face could move mountains, alright.

Ignis had long since stopped warning the blonde about his inevitable fall if he continued to keep doing that, though, because he knew he wouldn’t be listened to anyway. Instead, he tried muffling his laughter. Well, mostly he focused on his own chocobo, but he gave quick glances. Even _he_ had to admit that the blonde’s antics were working this one time.

Noctis didn’t bother to try and not laugh, because it wasn’t everyday that you saw a (mostly?) grown man (but still young?) attempting to ride a chocobo without even sitting.

Prompto, then, decided to use that moment to tell his chocobo to sprint. He turned to face the slower trio, and with his fingers in the universal symbol of peace over his eye, said. “Later, slowpokes!”

His chocobo took off running, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

Ignis shook his head. “He will fall,” he nodded to himself, convinced.

Noctis shrugged. “He doesn’t seem _that_ unstable.”

“If he falls down,” Gladio told the others as he motioned for his chocobo to go faster as well, ”then I want to see it.”

The prince took it as a challenge (as he did with most things), before he ran after his friends.

Ignis heavily sighed, but then again, he too wanted to see the blonde once he fell.

It only took them a few moments to catch up to Prompto, seeing as how he couldn’t go really fast without ending up on the floor (no, he did not want to die yet). Said man (boy?) was struggling to keep himself at bay, basically flailing his limbs around to try and not fall. It was amusing for the rest, but not for him. What if he actually fell off and hit his head or something?! Okay, calm down, it wouldn’t happen. But really, though?!

“How come you haven’t gone mad yet?” Noctis asked the other two as he watched his best friend try to dance on top of his chocobo.

“It’s a mystery itself,” Ignis adjusted his glasses. “Though I assume it’s because I’ve had years of practice looking after you.”

“That bad, huh?” Noctis smirked.

“You have no idea,” Specs muttered under his breath (Noctis still heard, though).

Gladio decided to take his phone out to film the blonde, who looked enthusiastic enough about the idea.

“No driving with your phone out, Gladio,” Ignis warned.

“I’m not driving,” he protested, holding out the chocobo leash as proof. “I’m _riding_ ,” he said, as if it was the best argument (it was, at least, the one that made the most sense).

Prompto made sure to keep his focus on both Gladio’s cellphone and the road, checking for any obstacles ahead. He made silly faces, sticking his tongue out. Gladio seemed to prompt him to do more, and the prince knew that the video would be something to blackmail the blonde with, alright. He was about to say so, however, two things happened under the span of three seconds that forced the four of them to stop their chocobos at once.

First, Prompto fell off (as Ignis had predicted) while trying to dance to the beat of a song that Noctis had never heard before.

Second, Ignis was laughing his glasses off. Quite literally, because he threw his head back, and his glasses fell off. Seemed like gravity was doing its job properly today.

Gladio’s focus went from the whining blonde on the road to Specs, because seeing the later laughing like that was as rare as finding a robotic behemoth that could communicate with a dog on a full moon.

Noctis jumped off his chocobo, walking towards his best friend (not before patting his own chocobo, though, because he appreciated it).

He extended his hand in a friendly gesture of “ _take it so I can pull you up_ ”. Prompto stared at it like it was out of this world, then at Noctis, then at his hand again, and sighing, he took it.                                    

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based off glitches. i love them so much, i swear.


	7. free.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Have you… ever felt truly free?” the words that came from his mouth were laced with masked emotions, tempted and worried, yet daring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so we're prolly gonna get a double-update today because i didn't have time to upload yesterday. sorry//  
> btw.  
> if it wasn't called promptis, then noctis and prompto's ship would be something like nocto.  
> and that's what noctis sounds like in japanese.  
> it's not a coincidence.  
> they ship it too.

“Hey, Noctis.”

This time, the prince had actually expected the conversation to happen. After all, neither Gladio nor Ignis were with them right now, and there was no playful chatter going on. You could read the slight tension in the air as sometimes, unintentionally, words were spoken through their eyes instead of their mouth. The two older men from their small (yet, reliable and  _incredibly_  loyal) group of friends had left no more than five minutes again, mostly because Ignis had wanted to search for a very specific herb that was supposed to grow around their camp. Of course, it would’ve felt more like an excuse to be alone if it wasn’t for Specs’s love of cooking.

It was still early and the sun was still on the sky, so it wasn’t like there was any threat lurking around. Besides, Ignis had deemed it safe enough for a prince, and also mentioned that he and Prompto being able to defend themselves. It was good to know that Specs trusted them enough to be alone for half an hour or so, because Noctis could bet that those two wanted to have some Specs-Gladio bonding time.

Now, the blonde was staring at him with those deep eyes of his, and they seemed to read him so easily. Was he such an open book? They were curious and honest, and all Noctis wanted was to look into them forever, but the universe always has other plans for him.

But then, Prompto adverted his eyes and started to slowly close his eyes. His eyebrows furrowed, and suddenly Noctis felt the urge to just hug it all out of him, but he couldn’t, because that would be weird, right?

His mouth opened and the prince found himself glazing at those lips of his. That was normal, though, right? Because Prompto was his best friend, and he’d probably have to marry Luna, and even if it felt forced, it was what had to be done.

“Have you… ever felt truly free?” the words that came from his mouth were laced with masked emotions, tempted and worried, yet daring.

It sounded simple enough, truthfully. It didn’t even have over ten words, so it wasn’t that long of a question, either. It was the thought behind it and the answer that made it complicated (like most things in his life, honestly). It was the emotions that would hide in the response that made it worth at least some of their time, and it was the feelings that counted.

To Noctis, his life had never been really free.

Never being able to take decisions on his own. He basically had a basket that said every day of the week on top with the clothes he would wear. The food he had to eat? Under a strict diet, of course. No grease, only vegetables, and if he behaved nicely, then he can have some flavorless, fat-free chips. Right, no soda either, because it’s also bad for your health. He knew he couldn’t blame Ignis, but honestly? Sometimes all he wanted to do was just run away to a simple diner and order the biggest dish on the menu. When he met Prompto, sometimes they’d trade lunches. A plate of selected-by-hand vegetables for a simple burger.

He never asked to be sent on  _that_  trip, either. He’d woken up with a bad feeling on his gut, telling him to stay inside and not go anywhere. When he mentioned it, everyone brushed him off. How could it go wrong, either way? Oh, wait, a giant snake-like monster can appear, _of course_ , and almost kill him.

He had just wanted to go to a normal school, he had argued when he was a kid. He wanted to have friends, and he had wanted to play catch with them, and do his homework and stay up late playing videogames. And he had asked. Ignis had helped him convince his father, including excuses about how Noct should get to know the people he would rule over, plus how it would help on his social manners.

Even when he had been at Tenebrae, being healed, he hadn’t been allowed to leave his room without someone else, either, because what if something else had happened? He had to be watched on all hours, and if he wanted to go outside, it had to be with a glaive or with his father himself. Except, the glaives were always with his father or intimidated him, and the king was rarely available.

The people around him weren’t free, either.

Everyone always had duties.

Except, Prompto, of course, but Prompto was Prompto. The blonde was just a civilian, one that had tried to much to befriend the prince even though any attempt would’ve done just fine. Their personalities had clicked easily, and using homework as an excuse to see his friend was now open and ready to be used. Once again, Ignis had given in, and helped him convince everyone.

But this wasn’t about Prompto right now, and yet he couldn’t help but think of him.

His blue eyes searched the expression the blonde wore, and found it empty, calm, collected. It was unusual, especially the faraway look on his eyes. It was creeping the prince out, because Prompto never really thought twice, just did it, and looked like he was on a sugar high (knowing him, he probably was) all the time. This person, who shared the same body as Prompto, was not him. He looked like he regretted something, and it was weird, because Prompto should ever really feel that way.

Looking for a chance to comfort the blonde, he placed his slightly larger hand on top of his friends’.

Prompto opened his eyes, surprised, and almost drew his hand back. He didn’t, though, and it meant it was okay, right? Yeah, it probably was. His eyebrows relaxed, and his posture overall seemed calmer than before, that was for sure. He started grinning, a small smile, but he started to become more and more like the Prompto he knew, and he liked that, so he smiled back.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is gonna have fifteen chapters, 'kay?  
> got it all planned out.  
> should really get a beta reader because i never read the chapters before posting them or anything, but i mean, none of my friends are in this fandom, though, so i'm just gonna ask you to please, please point out any mistakes. english isn't my first language, and it sorta sucks.  
> thanks for reading!


	8. chocobo-themed cake.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seemed like Prompto had a knack for falling down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alrighty, finished the other chapter!  
> it was nice, developing feelings i mean.  
> not that they didn't have feelings before, but they're getting more and more important now.

“Hey, Noct.”

Noctis heard his nickname being called, so he turned his head.

“Give me the flour, please,” Prompto held out his hand, clearly enthusiastic. It showed all over his features, especially his lovely blue-violet eyes that brightened up every time they locked their glazes together.

The prince handed his friend the bag of flour, letting the touch of their hands linger for a few moments longer than needed. It was okay, though, because Prompto _is_ his best friend, right?

He was starting to think that he was so much more.

The blonde grinned, happily pouring some of the bag’s contents into a mixing bowl, along with ingredients that Ignis had prepared before-hand, admittedly scared that one of the two would use something else that shouldn’t really go in there.

Now, they were trying to bake.

Prompto had the great idea of trying to do his own, chocobo-themed cake, and begged Noctis to help him. Ignis was supervising them, because he sure as hell wasn’t eating it and get food-poisoning later. Gladio was secretly watching from the sidelines as he made push-ups- when was that man not thinking about exercise, anyway?

Of course, Noctis wasn’t of any help, really, because all he did was hang around. However, he did quite enjoy the smile on the gunner’s face (he knew for a fact that it could always make his day better, no matter what). Besides, he was taste-testing. So far, so good. Ignis was _way_ better, but the amount of _love_ that poured out of Prompto’s heart and into the dough made his cooking worthwile, too.

It was still entertaining, too, when said blonde managed to get flour everywhere.

“I said not to mix to fast,” Ignis shook his head as he dusted himself off. His hair was covered on a coat of flour, and Noctis knew that he would have a very hard time getting it out.

The prince had not been really covered in dust or anything when compared to the rest, but since his clothes (cough, his entire wardrobe, cough) were all black, it was noticed easily. He knew he would go fishing when the cake was finished, though, so he’d have a chance to wash it off before Iggy started complaining.

The blonde was shaking, an attempt to get the flour off his everywhere. His hair seemed whiter than ever, and his face paler. He’d managed to cover himself in the stuff, somehow. It was surprising, but Prompto was a surprise himself.

However, Prompto took a moment to properly clean his hands before grabbing his camera, snapping a few quick shots of the prince and his advisor.

Ignis rolled his eyes (he was amused, though, and couldn’t mask it) as Noctis posed. He was a prince, and he was covered in flour, but he might as well look awesome on the picture, right?

Prompto gave them a thumbs up, and set his camera down. Away from all the food, of course. It was valuable.

Noctis snickered. “Is this your idea of baking?”

“Dude, yeah!” he cheered for himself as he got back to his work, making sure to be slower this time around. He mindlessly held out the spoon for Noctis, who gladly took it to lick the dough. It tasted good enough, he decided as he gave it back to his blonde friend.

Ignis watched the moment with a fond smile and then took a second to look at Gladio as the muscular man made kissy faces.

Prompto stopped mixing, deciding it was good enough, before awkwardly offering it to Ignis, an eyebrow raised and a confused half-smile on his face.

Ignis shot him a deadpan look.

Prompto shrugged.

Ignis sighed, taking the bowl.

Noctis watched with interest as Ignis did who-knows-what with it. “What just happened?”

“I don’t know what to do with the dough, man,” Prompto shrugged once more, smiling.

The prince would’ve asked how the hell did they manage to have a wordless conversation, but the answer came to him easily.

They were both really good at reading people. _Really_ good.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise at all. Ignis was always looking at others like they were books, and Prompto was naturally perceptive of the stuff going on around him.

“We can make the icing, though!”

Noctis stopped his thoughts only to pay attention to his blonde friend. He was holding another bowl, along with several items that the prince didn’t bother to recognize. They just had to join it all together, right?

Well, he didn’t have time to dwell on that because as the blonde walked, he tripped.

He tripped onto the prince, who didn’t have time to react.

Seemed like Prompto had a knack for falling down.

Both of them were sent towards the ground, most of the ingredients falling on their sides, but some of them also staining their clothes. It was awkward, because Prompto was basically lying on his chest and it was weird, but it felt like they were in place, even though they weren’t because they were on the floor, and Ignis was shaking his head again-

Prompto blushed furiously, from his neck to the tip of his ears. He pushed himself up, apologizing over and over, but his words fell on deaf ears. He was too busy panicking to even realize Ignis was already picking up everything and Noctis was standing up again. He didn’t notice until two hands, one of them gloved, were set on his shoulders.

He didn’t really stop until a moment later, when his brain registered his actions, and he faced Noctis, with all the emotions clasped together in his eyes. And maybe the prince had glanced into his slightly parted lips and wondered how soft they actually were, but it was only for a second. He wanted to kiss him, he realized.

“It’s okay,” he firmly told the other, nodding quite a few times to reassure him.

“But,” Prompto tilted his head towards the ground, motioning at all the things that had fallen on the ground, currently being picked up by Ignis, then at their dirty clothes, dyed yellow with the colorant meant for the chocobo-themed cake. He sighed, his eyes looking a little sad. Mostly, though, it seemed like disappointment. Or maybe it wasn’t? Noctis wasn’t that good at reading people, only Ignis and Prompto were. Well, his father too, but he wasn’t here.

“It’s okay,” the prince repeated, his tone become more regal this time. Authoritative, confident and powerful. It made Prompto cower a bit, since Noctis hadn’t used that tone in a long, long while, but he eventually curled his lips into a small, tentative smile.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shy prompto is my life. ffxv took over my time. this game's truly a gold mine. noct is prompto's valentine. i bet noctis loves his wine. his natural habitat is a fishing line, and i can't find anything else that rhymes.  
> thanks for reading!  
> btw, yes, i just did a chapter with 1,111 words just so that the chapter numbers and word count still match. fite meh.


	9. friendship.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prince waited for the other to elaborate his question, but got no response (considering silence wasn’t an answer).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> voltron season two is out tomorrow omg. pidge is my child and klance is the best ship.  
> my otp is still promptis though.

“Hey, Noctis.”

Noctis slowly looked from the campfire towards his best friend, but also someone he was interested in? Prompto was a swell guy, and he was cute, too, but he was his best friend. Maybe it was normal? Well, he’d heard from whispers in his old high school that some people had crushes on their best friends, but maybe it wasn’t really a crush at all.

When their eyes locked, the prince blushed immediately as he stared into those violet eyes that could read him so easily. He wasn’t rattled up easily, but whenever he was with Prompto, it was an exception. And suddenly he was sweating. Weird. Maybe it was getting hotter? Who was he kidding, seriously. He knew that what he felt, whatever he felt, wasn’t what Prompto felt too. Prompto was his best friend, and they always treated each other as such. Besides, he was always ogling at girls. And he wasn’t discreet, either. He might as well have thrown his chance out the window of the tallest story of the palace, alright.

He’d always try his hardest to read those eyes. They were so genuine, and he could get lost in them. The fire that reflected on them made the moment picture-perfect. He wasn’t the one who held a camera, though, and he knew Prompto would probably not like it at all if someone else took the photos for a change. That was his job, too.

And even if he couldn’t really decipher what was the other feeling, or what was going on his best friend’s head most of the time, the emotion on his eyes was mostly doubt, followed by what might have been regret.

He wished to be Ignis, too, because Specs was too good at reading others, better than Prompto, and while not as good as the king, he was still really amazing at it, and he would have been able to tell what Prompto was feeling like. It was one of his qualities, as an advisor, to be able to empathize with people. He had a huge heart, and no amount of scolding could ever change that.

Prompto’s hair slightly fell from their usual place up in mid-air, almost masking his eyes. Noctis wanted to trail his fingers through it, and put it back where it belonged.

But that would really be weird, though, and maybe it was ahead of Prompto’s limits? They were close, yeah, but maybe that was as close as Prompto wanted to get. And while he wished that he had read his intentions wrong, that actually being so touchy with him meant something else, but Prompto was physically okay with, well, anyone. Ignis and Gladio were no exception.

Besides, Prompto could probably get anyone he wanted, really. All he had to do was flash a smile,  _that_  smile, and people would just throw themselves at his feet with roses and chocolate boxes.

Prompto already had the prince tied on his pinky finger, even if he didn’t know it yet, so _yes_ , he could get _anyone_.

Noctis was, well, rather complex. People tended to look at him like he was an asshole because he wasn’t good at expressing himself (not that Ignis and Gladio helped, usually intimidating people with their scowls), and people just assumed he was rude. In truth, he wasn’t, it was just really hard to get him out of his shell.

Prompto opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.

The prince frowned, letting the blonde know through his expressions that he wasn’t about to walk away without talking.

The sharpshooter sighed, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. “It’s not important,” he insisted.

Noctis, for once, let his mouth speak his thoughts without any filter at all. “If it bothers you, then it is,” he said, his voice portraying the truth.

Even so, Prompto looked for any traces of a lie in his eyes, and once he found none, he visibly relaxed. “If you could d-do something for your friends,” he paused, “something they _really_ need, would you do it?”

Noctis knew that this wasn’t all of it. And maybe Prompto wanted to do something, but had yet to be pushed into the right direction. Yeah, a small shove would do just fine. While he didn’t know what Prompto was about to do, he knew it was something that would probably calm everyone. They’d been so frantic, rushing everywhere, and Prompto would reminded them to take a moment to admire the view several times a day. He was starting to sound like Ignis.

Oh, the _horrible_ things that war could do to a noble man.

The prince waited for the other to elaborate his question, but got no response (considering silence wasn’t an answer).

The blonde just sighed, once more. Noctis would do anything to ensure he never sighed again, only laughed. Except, it would be so cheesy, and Gladio would laugh at him. Besides, Prompto would soon catch up, and he didn’t know what he would do. Would he push him away? Noctis didn’t want to ruin their friendship. And if Prompto would only stay with him as a friend, then he’d rather not loose him in an attempt to not feel so alone anymore.

Prompto was looking at the fire, again, watching as the flames flicked and burned and didn’t give up. They weren’t calm, they were angry, and they fought over each other. And while he’d rather see a quiet waterfall or a giant lake, the fire was still pretty, he guessed. And while he had bigger things in his mind, he’d always take a second to admire the beauty on their surroundings, as common as they were. That was something Noctis admired, the ability to step back from everything going on, even if sometimes they really shouldn’t be doing so, considering they were in war.

The prince rested his chin on his arm, trying to focus on the campfire, but he’d soon realize that he would rather watch the blonde sitting next to him. And even if they felt so alone, then at least they could feel alone together, right? Yeah, they could. It was quiet and it was nice, even if it was late and Gladio and Specs were already asleep. He knew he’d regret staying up in the morning, and would probably sleep the morning in, but it was worth it, because he got to spend more time with Prompto.

Yeah, they’d keep each other company for as long as they needed, because that was what friends were for, right? Even if Noctis wanted the blonde to be much more than a friend.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really need a beta reader btw, but i'd need one that loves ffxv, supernatural, and twenty one pilots or panic! at the disco, and none of my friends fulfill that. imma post this without being beta-read, and just hope there aren't any mistakes.  
> btw, did the 1,111 word thing again. fite meh.


	10. i want to ride... my chocobo, of course.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto was positively beaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> voltron season two is out!

“Hey, Noct!” the blonde’s voice sounded happy. “Watch this!”

Said blonde was currently trying to climb a really large rock, and while it was tall, it was basically useless to do so. But still, the prince could only imagine Gladio’s face on the rock, and it wasn’t getting out of his head now. He’d have a dream tonight about that, he knew. However, now was not the time.

Prompto was really trying to get as high as he could, his feet slipping quite a few times- he’d always react quick as a bullet, though, managing to catch his balance. It almost made Noctis warp there and hold him upright, but Specs and Gladio were not that far away, and they’d notice him trying to protect the blonde and it would be weird, because Prompto was only his best friend.

Besides, Iggy already looked irritated enough and it would only add to his list of burdens. The guy probably only wanted to make dinner right now, but they’d just had breakfast and night wouldn’t come sooner.

The sharpshooter started humming, a song that Noctis knew all too well. In a matter of seconds, Prompto was already singing. “I want to ride my chocobo all day!” he sang, looking up to the sky with a fond smile, almost like he wanted to memorize all of it. He managed to sit in a very uncomfortable position, but he still took his camera out and started snapping pictures.

Ignis sighed. “Prompto, I suggest you get down before you get hurt,” he said, then quickly added,”like yesterday.”

Prompto smiled sheepishly, as he just let go to drop to the ground. It sent a bit of dust on everyone’s way, but they weren’t really unfazed.

“I like chocobos,” Prompto stated as they entered the car once more, their camping items packed on the truck of the Regalia.

“I wasn’t aware,” Gladio pointed out, sarcastically.

Prompto pouted.

It was cute, Noctis decided, even if it was his best friend he was talking about. It didn’t matter, anyway, if he just kept it to himself. However, as cute as he looked, Noctis would rather see him smiling.

Leaning against Specs’s seat, he asked with a smirk,”how far is the Chocobo Wiz from here?”

He only managed to get that question out before Prompto squeaked and awkwardly half-hugged him, looking expectantly at Ignis. Well, it was more like he gave him the puppy eyes, but for Noctis, his eyes were puppy eyes most of the time when he wanted something.

Even the man couldn’t say no to him, because after a few seconds of narrowing his eyes and staring at one of them and then the other, he eventually gave up. “An hour away,” he answered.

Gladio cackled at Ignis’s inability to deny anything the pair requested, and Specs glared at him in return through the rear mirror.

The ride there was uneventful, the silence filled by the radio and the chatter that the four provided, but it was mostly Prompto. The blonde was squirming in his seat, clearly eager to get there as soon as he could.

Noctis admired the view, looking at the trees that passed by. The forest would look really boring, but if someone bothered to look deep into it, they’d find an huge sea of beauty. And while he only really knew that because of Prompto, it was still nice to take a step back and relax from everything.

He closed his eyes for what seemed like a second, but suddenly someone was tugging at his sleeve and Gladio wasn’t at his side anymore.          

It wasn’t a surprise when he opened his eyes and saw Prompto, looking as excited as Noctis would when he went fishing and caught a bigger fish than the last time.

He was wearing a chocobo hat. Where had he found it was unknown to the prince, but it did look good on him

“Now _you_ look like a chocobo butt.”

“I am _not_ a chocobo butt!”

Noctis laughed, turning the hat around as Prompto fumed, placing it back where it was supposed to be.

“You’ve been asleep for two hours!” the blonde announced, looking around in awe, even if he had spent the last hour or so in the place. Ignis and Gladio were chatting quietly on a table, eating. They turned around to wave at him (he waved back), and then turned back to their conversation. He guessed it was private, because otherwise, he wouldn’t have been woken up. He just really hoped that _he_ wasn’t the theme.

He decided to shift his focus on Prompto once more, who was running around with a small baby chocobo on his arms. He seemed really happy, petting the small thing’s fur (uh, feathers?).

Prompto was positively beaming. It felt as if at night, when they were at camp, they could just take Prompto out and just use him as a flashlight. He knew it would work.

Noctis scooped up a few leaves, aka chocobo food (he’d pay for it later), and threw it upon Prompto, who shrieked and shielded the small chocobo, who Noctis dubbed as Chibi Prompto. It was really adorable, seeing the things he liked the most (fishing didn’t count, because he knew that Prompto holding a fish would not end up well).

“You’re so getting it!” the blonde declared war.

He was trying to keep a close eye on his friend, especially since their last talk. They weren’t even talks at all, because no words were exchanged, but they managed to understand each other. It was weird, for a prince and a civilian to know what the other feels like, when their interests are so different and their personalities contrast. Even weirder to know that those two are friends, and that said prince has a crush on the civilian. However, Prompto’s demeanor did not change in the slightest during their time with the chocobo families, so he guessed that whatever he wanted to do was going to be a surprise, meaning that no one else would be allowed to know because that was how Prompto wanted it to go.

It wasn’t a fair-fight, because Prompto had to protect Chibi Prompto and also himself at the same time, and Noctis may have warped a few times to get out of the way, but then they came back towards the Regalia, covered in leaves and mud (and Chibi Prompto was back with its family), and Ignis just shook his head, silently lamenting their clothing, and Gladio laughed, asking who had won.

“I did!” the blonde declared. Noctis didn’t correct him.

Prompto turned to look at him fondly.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i really hope you aren't bothered by small chapters (well, drabbles).


	11. stars.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis wouldn’t be surprised if in between all the pictures that Prompto took they’d find a photo of the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been trying to come up with a new name for the sequel that this is gonna get, because believe it or not this has a plot damn it- there's just too much fluff to actually see the plot but it's there i promise.  
> the best name i've managed to come up with is "hey prompt"   
> i can't name shit to save my life. like seriously, i have a dog (the best dog ever, excuse you), his name's foxy, he's a fox terrier.  
> or, i could just screw everything and start naming everything using twenty one pilots' lyrics. if that's what i'll do, you might find the story under the name "i'm no good without you" in five days or so, when this one's finished (it'll have fifteen chapters lol)

“Hey, Noctis,” the blonde called out to him as they laid on their backs, silently watching the stars. Ignis and Gladio were still awake too, even if Specs was half-asleep at this point, only mumbling to be careful and not to fall of the roof of the motel. Noctis wouldn’t be surprised if he fell asleep on his chair.

“Yeah, Prompt?” the prince asked, not turning his sight away from the stars. They were beautiful, but they were so far away from his reach. If he had been such a sappy person, he would’ve compared the stars and his best friend. But no, he wasn’t a poet, and the words that came out from his mouth were generally the wrong ones and only made matters worse.

Prompto closed his eyes, quietly relishing on the gentle breeze and the tranquil mood. It wasn’t often that they had moments like these, and it was nice, because it felt like nothing was important but themselves at that point. There was no trace of worry on his features, Noctis noticed, and he looked younger, innocent. But then he remembered that truly, Prompto was actually younger and innocent than all of them, and he clearly showed that every day, but it was chalked up to his personality.

He knew it would take a moment for Prompto to actually tell him what he wanted to speak, but Noctis was already growing cold and his hands were sweating, because what if Prompto wanted to say something that the prince would never have wanted to hear? What if he had gotten bored already of spending nights on the ground, sometimes on cold, hard beds and waking up so early just to spend hours cramped inside a car, only to travel to places because the prince needed to and of getting in fights with basically everyone?

Prompto should’ve never been dragged to this, but here he was, and Noctis selfishly wished it would stay like this forever, but he knew no one would listen to his pleas.

And maybe the only reason that Prompto could ever be unhappy was because suddenly he wasn’t home anymore, he was on the middle of a war, trying to keep his prince alive by putting his own life at risk. He was no glaive, and he certainly was _not_ Noctis’s glaive, so what had he been trying to do this whole time?

But then he remembered, it’s _Prompto_.

Prompto would do just about _anything_ just for him and for the people he cared about, and even if the list was impossibly small, those who were in it were incredibly lucky.

The blonde who relentlessly invaded his thoughts day and night opened his mouth to talk, and Noctis opened his heart to listen.

“How important are we to you?”

Noctis awkwardly laughed, though his expression was more of a grimace as he looked at the body lying next to him. “What do you mean?”

“How important are we to you?” Prompto repeated his question, his voice almost monotone, like a perfectly rehearsed one. The only reason the prince knew that was because he too had learned how to speak in a regal tone because of his position during his childhood, and now it came natural to him. He opened his eyes, but to Noctis, he was still blind. All that reading people and he still didn’t think that he meant the world to him?

The sharpshooter’s gaze fell on the sky above as he searched the constellations, his eyes reflecting the stars, and Noctis would be lying if he said that they weren’t absolutely beautiful.

The prince shook his head. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?” Prompto frowned.

Noctis was silent for a few moments, an internal battle going on. Was there any other way to say this, without sounding like he was confessing? Either way, it could be interpreted as two best friends being… best friends, right? He sure hoped so. Well, if he included Ignis and Gladio, it wouldn’t sound that way, right?

“Without you three,” the prince admitted, “I’d be lost.”

Prompto hummed, taking the answer in. It wasn’t like it was too complex, but it was personal, and Prompto wasn’t personal at all, because even if he liked sharing and caring for others, that did not mean that he wasn’t one to keep secrets. Everyone was allowed to, Noctis supposed. He wanted to crush any negative thoughts on the blonde’s mind. But he couldn’t just do that, as much as he wanted to, so he’d just help the other to form any new ones.

“The stars are pretty,” he said as an attempt to keep the silence away.

Prompto nodded, ”yeah, they are.” Well, Noctis wouldn’t be surprised if in between all the pictures that Prompto took they’d find a photo of the stars. Sunrises and sunsets were common, as well rainbows after rainy days, but the stars were something that Noctis had never seen in a picture.

Somehow, a few minutes later, Noctis found himself looking at the freckles that adorned his best friend’s face, almost trying to memorize them. They reminded him of the stars, and _maybe_ he connected a few of them to form the constellations too, but then stopped staring altogether, because staring at your best friend like that was probably not accepted when your best friend is only your best friend.

Vaguely, they both heard Ignis standing up, declaring how they all needed to sleep if they wanted to be awake tomorrow before opening their motel room’s door and going in. Noctis knew, though, that even if he fell asleep at a reasonably good hour, he’d still be sleepy the next day, and even if Prompto only had a couple of hours of sleep, the only difference would be the bags under his eyes.

Even so, following Ignis close behind, Gladio also entered the room, complaining about how he couldn’t carry a sleeping prince if he was asleep himself.

They bid their goodnights before turning towards the stars again. It was a beautiful night, and there was no one else that Noctis would prefer sharing it with. And while if he was asked why, he would answer that it was because Ignis would chat his ears off, Gladio would be snoring at his side, and his father would be having a deep talk (cough, more like scolding, cough) with him about his duties, it was because Prompto was there, and Prompto always managed to make everything better.

He’d still wouldn’t regret staying up late tomorrow, he would still complain about it, and then Specs would start bitching, and Gladio would tell them to shut up and Prompto would be taking pictures of his tired face just to laugh at them at camp, but he knew that all they said was only playful banter, and that they weren’t really angry or anything.

It got seemingly darker as time went on as if it was on a hurry, but the two never really got up from their positions.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i love you


	12. camp.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Man,” the sharpshooter said, wistfully, “I wish we had our chocobos right now.”
> 
> Gladio hmphed. “You wish that all the time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hotto dogu!  
> this drabble was mostly me trying to make sense on how they just get the stuff for camping and prompto complaining and noctis being a good person.

“Hey, Noct. Can we take a break? My legs are killing me,” Prompto halted to a stop to place his hands on his knees and catch his breath. They’d been climbing (or trying to) for an hour or so now, but Prompto had been running away every five minutes or so to take a picture and then he’d come back to them with his camera in hand. It was obviously the only reason he was tired, because no one else was.

“Quit whining,” Gladio rolled his eyes before stepping on a particularly sharp rock. His eye twitched, but otherwise, he seemed like he was on his natural habitat or something.

“Sure,” Noctis shrugged, picking the spot that seemed like it wasn’t entirely covered in bugs to sit down. It still had a few insects crawling around, but it was better than anywhere else.

Prompto sighed in relief, plopping down at his side and pulling his camera out, probably to erase any blurred pictures that he could’ve taken.

Noctis tried to get a close look, but he was swatted away. “C’mon, Noct! You really don’t want to see this,” the blonde complained.

“Pft, like I could find a picture that you took not worthy of my time,” he said before trying to do the same once more. This time, he wasn’t pushed away.

“Flattering doesn't work on me,” Prompto huffed, “oh wait, it does.”

The prince rolled his eyes, opting to not tease his friend right now. It was a very hard decision. Either way, he saw Ignis sitting down on a log, even as Gladio stayed alert for any possible threats. While it was usually Specs’s job, the shield had been doing so more lately. It was starting to creep the prince out, because generally, Gladio only did things like that when his instinct told him. Weird.

The pictures Prompto had taken were actually pretty good. However, the sharpshooter opted to show him the ones that were already printed. The first few were of them in the Regalia, a couple of selfies and once picture of… Gladio’s ass?

“Dude what the hell,” it didn’t come out as a question.

Prompto looked just as surprised, and mortified, too. He was flailing his arms, trying to explain it without embarrassing himself further- it caught Ignis’s attention, too. “I-I don’t know, man! I was trying to catch a shot of the squirrel!” He pointed at a small animal resting in the tree, just at the side of the shield’s butt.

It would have been absolutely hilarious if it wasn’t because of the sudden pang of jealousy he felt on his chest. However, it quickly dissipated when Ignis came closer, and he needed to hide it, because Ignis would surely notice.

Specs’s had other plans, though, because he just snatched the photography out of their arms and walked away.

Both him and Prompto shared a very concerned look, but Ignis didn’t look like he would use a fire spell on them or on the picture or show it to Gladio, so they were okay. For now. He just hoped that the advisor did _not_ send that picture to his father, either. Actually, he looked concentrated on it. Huh.

Eventually, Prompto shrugged it off, seemingly convinced that no one would decapitate him for that, and continued to erase the pictures that didn’t look good enough for him (even though they were awesome to Noctis) as the prince shuffled through the printed ones. They were awesome, and captivated their personalities. They would be good for a photo album. Maybe someday, like in ten years, they would be in the castle, laughing at this pictures together.

Prompto was taking extra attention to everything, even with his natural perceptiveness. Well, that was okay, he guessed, but sometimes he really wanted to get in the blonde’s head just to know what was he thinking of.

“Man,” the sharpshooter said, wistfully, “I wish we had our chocobos right now.”

Gladio hmphed. “You wish that all the time.”

“Well, _duh_! But we could really use their jumping right now, don’tcha think?”

“That is a good point,” Ignis _pointed_ out. Damn it, brain, not now.

“See?” Prompto was clearly brushing his victory on Gladio’s face, but the later was unfazed and only grumbled as a response.

“However, we can’t return, It’s getting late,” the advisor continued.

Prompto’s face went on a full deadpan, and the shield laughed at him. The prince would’ve laughed too if it wasn’t for another question popping on his mind.

“Do we really have to set up camp?” he frowned, not really feeling like dragging chairs and the whole kitchen stuff that Ignis had in the truck. Seriously, those were some pretty big stuff and he did not like lifting it all by himself. Especially because Prompto would be just chilling around with the excuse of watching out for enemies; Ignis would “supervise”, aka, just glare at the prince until he unloaded the truck; and Gladio would set up the tent, which was an easy task but he always did it anyway.

“Yes, we do, Noct,” Ignis breathed in, already frustrated. Poor guy. He would still complain, though.

“That means we gotta get our stuff from the Regalia,” Prompto whined, “but the Regalia is so far away!”

“Don’t be such a-“

“No cursing, Gladio,” Ignis scolded. With his usual scolding tone that sounded like a father’s, but it certainly was not a father’s. It sounded caring and all, but not as demanding as a father’s. He wished he had a proper way to describe it.

Gladio paused. “Don’t be such a whimp,” he rolled his eyes.

The walk back to their car was pretty much dull, because all everyone could hear was Prompto breathing heavily and pausing every few minutes to take another photo, because he was Prompto and Prompto would never miss the chance of getting a good picture. Of course, they still made it there in time.

“Same routine as always?” the sharpshooter asked, hope evident in his voice.

“No way, Blondie. _You_ are carrying Specs’s stuff,” the prince replied, watching as Prompto’s eyes crumbled with despair. “I’ll keep watch.” He did miss Prompto’s reaction to his new nickname.

“You can’t force me to do _that_!” Prompto huffed. “I am a free citizen with my own will.”

Bringing out _that_ excuse already?

(Gladio rolled his eyes, taking out the tent and as much chairs as he could with his large arms before walking away. He did not want nor need to hear this, as hilarious as it was.)

“Yeah, well I’m the prince, and the citizens _do_ what the prince says-“

“I’m _not_ carrying the kitchen-!”

“ _I_ did it the last _four_ times-!”

“Yeah but you’re _stronger_ than me so-!”

“Will you too just shut up already?” Ignis snapped, obviously annoyed, and the two of them fell silent. “You two bicker like a married couple.”

Both the prince and the gunman blushed heavily, but neither saw the other’s face.

Prompto eventually gave up and attempted to carry the “kitchen” and its supplies before a gloved hand took the rest stuff out. He let out a relieved sigh, knowing the prince would help him anyway.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you noticed that noctis can't describe ignis's mom tone properly because he never had a mom and he only knew it as the usual tone ignis would scold him with.  
> btw, i also did get a picture of gladio's ass. i obviously kept it.


	13. i spy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto looked content enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, the story is basically complete, but i'll keep the schedule for now (a chapter a day -to keep the boredom at bay). the sequel should be up this week too!

“Hey, Noct! Check this out! It’s-”

Noctis turned his view from all the potions that Ignis was carrying -since the later insisted that they once more needed to stock up on curatives- towards his blonde friend. Prompto was holding a small technological device, and Noctis had no idea what it was or what it could do, but he tried to listen to his best friend ramble all about it anyway.

He nodded along every few seconds to show that yes, he was hearing the other, but he still didn’t understand. Prompto was the tech junkie, not him. The only words he managed to catch made it sound like it was something for his gun, or something. Still, it was absolutely adorable, watching the blonde getting excited about anything. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his eyes were _literally_ sparkling. The enthusiasm on his voice could be heard from miles away.

Noctis found himself staring at those lips when he noticed they stopped moving.

“Hey, Noct? You okay?” Prompto asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

That seemed to shake the prince out from his own mind, and he blushed, knowing he’d gotten caught. Thankfully, Prompto didn’t seem to give any meaning to it, because in a matter of seconds, he was back at looking at whatever was on those shelves, full of gadgets and complicate contraptions. Or well, maybe they weren’t complicated at all and that was just him, who learned how to do a perfect, flawless handwriting instead of how to fix his own phone if he ever needed to do so. Prompto, however, would frown at the price tags from time to time, and that reminded Noctis that they really needed money.

Ignis finished paying for their potions and elixirs, seemingly satisfied, and dragged everyone out of the store like a chocobo mom. It wouldn’t surprise him if Specs started counting them or something to make sure that everyone was still there.

Prompto waved goodbye to all of the machine parts on the store as he reunited with the rest. Gladio seemed equally as disheartened as the blonde did, but he had been examining at swords of some kind. The two looked like two children in a candy store that had no money, and maybe that was somewhat the truth. They needed to go on a hunt if they wanted to buy more things, and that was the reason they were here in the first place, to get potions in case anything happened.

Noctis walked away towards the Regalia, the others following close behind. Sometimes he really wished he could ride shotgun, but at the beginning of the trip, when he and Prompto had been fighting about it, the blonde had called “shotgun forever”. Still, the backseat could prove to be just as comfy as the front seats, right? Yeah.

He got inside his seat and so did the rest, Ignis on the driver’s seat. He was the most capable driver of all, since Noctis was generally bad behind the wheel, literally _everything_ easily distracted Prompto, and Gladio just didn’t seem to want to ever drive, at all.

Yeah, Ignis would probably be driving during the rest of the trip.

“Is everything in order?” Specs asked, turning to look at them to make sure that they were all buckled up.

They all hummed collectively in response. Ignis seemed satisfied by their response, because not a moment later they were back on the road.

“Noct, wanna play I Spy?” Prompto turned on his seat, looking genuinely hopeful.

How could he ever say no?

“Sure,” the prince shrugged.

Ignis heavily sighed. It was probably too early in the day still for any of this, he guessed, but Prompto had asked, and Prompto was his biggest weakness. On the other hand, Gladio took out his book and started reading, probably not wanting to deal with any of their crap either. He was stealthily avoiding being included in the game. That sly man.

“Alright! I spy with my little eye…” Prompto was looking at everywhere, but all they could ever see was miles and miles ahead full of sand. “Something beginning with S?” It wasn’t meant to come as a question, but there was _rarely_ anything else to spy.

“Sand?”

“Yeah!” Prompto’s face was suddenly blank, his lips drawn in a thin line. “There’s _nothing_ but _sand_ how are we _supposed_ to play.”

They missed Gladio hiding a snicker behind his book.

Noctis raised an eyebrow, “there’s still the sky.”

Prompto seemed to consider it, but he shook his head. “But you already said it aloud, so it doesn't count!”

There were several moments of silence passing by, so Noctis decided to find a more comfortable spot in the car. He tried sitting on the trunk, and yeah, it was nice enough and he could feel like he was taller than Gladio for once. Besides, the wind was sticking his hair out on all places and it was giving him a sense of comfort, feeling like he did whenever he warped to safety.

Prompto heartily laughed as the prince started mocking Specs, using his hands to reassemble glasses and frowning heavily, making excessive frowns. He hadn’t thought that Iggy would advert his eyes from the way they were going, but apparently he was wrong.

“ _Noctis Lucis Caelum, get down this_ instant _or so_ help me _._ ”

And that was the story of how the prince moved several times _faster than lightning_ for the first time in his entire life. The prince still rolled his eyes, but Specs didn’t notice, so _whatever_.

Ignis, pleased by Noctis’s quick compliance, turned his eyes back on the road. They could’ve died too if Ignis crashed the car! Why wasn’t _he_ scolded?

Well, his mind supplied, probably because the only one who would scold him was Gladio, and Gladio didn’t seem to care at all if they crashed or not. He’d probably still be reading his book, completely unfazed.

Prompto was looking a bit shaken up by Ignis’s tone, though, so the prince sent a soft look his way. The blonde instantly relaxed.

“How long until we get there?” Noctis asked, a few minutes later, when Specs seemed to have calmed down. Mostly. The guy was never really calm. This was as close as they would get.

“An hour or so,” Ignis replied as they took a particularly nasty turn that made even Gladio blink a couple of times. Wow, and _he_ was called the bad driver.

Prompto was back on his camera, trying to fix a lens. Or well, that was what it looked like to Noctis. He knew about fishing, not technology.

Well, he might take a nap. No one would bother him until they arrived anyway.

The next time he opened his eyes, the town they were headed to next was within their view range.

Prompto looked content enough.

“Can I say a little something?” the blonde asked, fixing the rest with meaningful stares. “I never really thought I’d ever have amazing friends like you. Thanks.”

And those were the most sincere statements that Noctis had ever heard on his entire life, but he decided not to comment to it, because the car halted to a stop and Prompto was out of the car before anyone could say something on the matter.

They ended up getting food at the Crow’s Nest, and this time, since Ignis didn’t sit on his side, the prince was forced to send the lettuce and the tomato towards his best friend’s plate. Prompto didn’t really seem to mind, though, because with the right amount of ketchup, he ate them without a complaint.

“No wonder you’re so short,” Gladio mumbled before taking a bite of his burger.

The prince rolled his eyes, and continued to dispose of the green food that he did _not_ like.

The sharpshooter had ordered a milkshake, and had inevitably gotten a brain-freeze. Of course, Ignis pointed out the fact that he had warned him of his inevitable fate (“Dully noted,” Prompto had replied as he enthusiastically drank) and he had gone ahead and ordered it anyway, just as Gladio asked the waitress for another milkshake for him. Ignis scowled, muttering how no one ever listened to him as he glared at the prince, who was _still_ not eating any carrots.

They were blissfully unaware of a man with a Chesire-like grin watching them from the shadows.

The next day, Prompto found a small bag with the machine parts he had been eyeing before. He didn’t turn to face the prince, because he didn’t need to see the tears forming on the corner of his eyes.

“Thanks, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i forgot that this needed to show a plot somewhere lol  
> thanks for reading!


	14. thanks.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you love me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is, the actual (sorta) romance!

“Hey, Noctis…”

And that night, under the light the moon provided, two friends sat alongside each other, together. The sun had long since hid, and the stars were already out. The sand seemed nothing but dust as it twirled in the sky, following the path that the breeze had set out for it.

The blonde’s face looked flushed as he sat upright, looking at the view surrounding them. It was picture perfect. His hair was softly wavering under the air, his freckles standing out due to the light. His soft lips were parted, almost like he wanted to speak. No sound came from them, though, as the prince stared into the eyes that could very easily destroy him. His posture was firm, an uncommon occurrence, and Noctis recalled the last time that he had seen it as also the last time he’d seen his father.

The prince’s eyes were gentle, but not weak. Sentimental as well, but not in an unpleasant way.

Prompto seemed to take it all in, his eyes mirroring his best friend’s.

“Are we really friends?” but his eyes, unlike the other’s, held sadness and a burden that seemed too familiar to the prince, one that he could also relate.

The way he said it was so innocent and so truly concerned, but there was nothing to worry about, because they were best friends, _soulmates_  if you’d say, and Noctis liked to believe that somehow they’d subconsciously vowed to stay together through all of this.

“Yeah, we are.”

Noctis wanted to grab that single moment, and keep it forever. The Astrals were not listening, though, because what Noctis truly needed was to keep moving forward, not stay forever in a single place.

And who knows what possessed him to do so, but in a matter of seconds, the prince was leaning closer and closer towards Prompto, his  _best friend_. He stopped few inches before they could touch, silently asking if it was okay to do so. The last thing he wanted was to ruin this, whatever they had.

Prompto, though, closed his eyes, and they molded together.

The kiss was hesitant at first, because neither truly knew what they were doing. They moved by instinct, one of the prince’s hands traveling further to tangle on that blonde mess of hair. It must’ve been something good, though, because Prompto mimicked him and a gloved hand came to rest on his neck.

And somewhere along it, Prompto had opened his mouth, granting permission, and it was something that Noctis had never tried before in his life, but their tongues were then tangled up together, and it was easily the best thing that he had ever done.

When they parted, their eyes connected once more, and Noctis, for the first time, could truly read everything in those blue-violet orbs. There were no secrets between the two of them, not anymore.

“Do you love me?”

His voice was small,  _so_  small, and he almost didn’t hear it in the quiet of the night. But he still did, because he was there to listen, and to speak.

“Yeah, I do.”

It was the truth, the purest truth of all, and the prince didn’t hesitate as he easily spoke three simple words. They held no commitment, no sadness, and there was nothing he asked for in return, because all what he wanted, all what he  _needed_ , had already been given to him.

“Thanks, Noct.” And there it was, a soft show of his appreciation, and even if Prompto didn’t say anything back, he could see it in his eyes. It was there.

And then he saw a flash of regret in those same blue-violet orbs.

It was quick, and sudden, but it was there, and Noctis wanted to ask, wanted to know, but something connected with the side of his head, and the last thing he heard was a “I’m sorry” coming from the blonde that gently laid him on the floor.

Then his vision was all black.

* * *

 

When he woke up, it was because the smell of food was evident in the air, and he half-expected a mess of blonde hair to be at his side, on the cold motel bed. But he opened his eyes, and looked around, and there was no Prompto, but Gladio was there, looking concerned (certainly not normal).

“What happened?” his shield asked in his usual gruff voice, but there was a slight edge to it, a rare softness that the prince hadn’t hear in a long time.

“Where’s Prompt?” Noctis asked, because the swarming on his head didn’t matter, he needed to know where his best friend was. And Prompto seemed to be some sort of code word, because the engines on Gladio’s head started turning and his face was not concerned, but raged, instead.

Ignis calmly stepped into view as he pushed his glasses a bit further with his index finger. “We were hoping you could tell us.” He then opened his mouth to explain, seeing the confused look on his friend’s face. However, before he could say anything, Gladio beat him to it.

“You were outside, passed out.”

“What?” his eyes widened the slightest bit, the fuzziness on his brain not helping. “What do you mean? And Prompto?”

“He’s not here,” Ignis told him, sighing.

His hands balled into fists. What had happened? His mind wasn’t working, not right now. He didn’t recall a single thing. Had Prompto just left? Had someone taken him? Maybe he had gone out for a walk and a daemon had gotten to him? Maybe this was all a really bad prank, yeah, that must be it, because Prompto was the most loyal, and Prompto would _never_ leave his side. Never.

But then he saw his friends’ faces, and he knew that wasn’t it. But Prompto wouldn’t have left them, not willingly at least. Right?

He really wanted to hope so.

Ignis interrupted him, wordlessly handing him a tray of food. It was his breakfast, and he knew he should eat it, but he wasn’t hungry. He tried to give it back, but Ignis didn’t seem to accept no as an answer, so he placed the tray on his lap, staring at it.

He needed to find Prompto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all probably thought this would have a nice ending. well, it won't. i'm not even sorry about it even though i should.  
> tomorrow's the next and last chapter! hopefully the sequel (with longer chapters) will be out on thursday.


	15. express train for feels.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You,” he said, the word laced with venom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> attention, passengers. this is your cap'n speaking. well, not really. i have no idea what i'm doing, but we'll end up in feels town anyway.  
> buckle up, buddies, and enjoy the ride.
> 
> :: s p o i l e r w a r n i n g ::  
> contains spoilers for chapter 11 of the game!

Facing Leviathan, surprisingly, had not been troublesome at all. Somehow, they had managed to evade the empire so far, and maybe it wasn’t just a streak of good luck, but it was better than the alternative.

Being without Prompto was, well, absolutely _horrible_. He missed waking up on the motel bed with a warm body at his side, even if they always ended up with their limbs tangled. There was obviously more free space at the tent, and the conversations were dull, quiet. _His_ chair wasn’t even taken out of the trunk of the Regalia anymore, and he was sure that it was full of dust at this point.

Now, alone at the train with a course set for Tenebrae, his mind was having trouble being quiet.

Ignis and Gladio had left just moments ago, saying how they wanted to check out the rest of the train in case anything happened. Obviously, Noctis didn’t think anything would take place, not anything interesting at least, but according to Ignis, it was better to worry than to be six feet under.

The view was entertaining and the food was amazing, but there wasn’t really anything that could put his thoughts in order. The only thing he wanted right now was to see his best friend- but he knew it wouldn’t happen. Prompto hadn’t answered his phone, they had called every single person they knew, and still no trace left of the blonde. No one ever saw him leave the motel either, which was a creepier fact itself.

However, time seemed to stir to a halt. A screeching sound was on his ears, and it was getting on his nerves.

The clouds were unmoving, the scenery stayed in place and the people weren’t breathing, completely unresponsive.

The prince shot up from his seat, trying to analyze the situation. “What’s going on?” he asked, to no one in particular. His vision was turning blue and gray, almost like those filters that Prompto liked to use- he shook his head, no use remembering _that_ now.

“Noctis?”

Ardyn’s voice reached his ears, and he stopped walking for a second, only to turn around. If he had stopped for a second more, he would’ve realized the regret that his name had been carrying.

And when he did turn around, he saw the now-becoming-familiar face, one that had caused so much trouble to him. “You,” he said, the word laced with venom

Naturally, he wanted to punch that face.

Ardyn seemed to back up, grasping the train seats behind him- frowning heavily, too. “Noct?” The prince wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Didn’t the guy know that Noctis was several seconds away from killing him?

The prince materialized his weapon, small crystal dust coating the floor below. He aimed and he sprung forward, but he missed, because his enemy was fast, faster than before, and got out of the way before the sword collided with his body.

Ardyn, the _coward_ , ran away. “N-Noct!”

“You don’t get to call me Noct!” he growled, using his sword once more. And once more, Ardyn dodged, like he knew everything that the prince was doing, _anticipating_ it. It was only making him angrier, though, and being angrier meant that he was thinking less and attacking more.

“Stop! P-please!”

Ardyn’s voice reached deaf ears, though, as he ran through another sliding door. Whatever he tried to do, whatever he said, only fueled Noctis’s rage, and his hatred grew stronger. It didn’t help much, either, that Prompto wasn’t here, because with Prompto, he felt safe and at ease, and they could always talk about whatever.

“You think this is funny?!” Noctis all but screamed as he swung his blade. He did so impulsively, and vaguely in his mind he recalled someone telling him that his impatience would be his doom, but he concentrated on his task at hand instead. Ardyn fell to the floor, but he quickly regained his balance, trying to get away at all costs.

They eventually reached the end of the train.

“I’ve got you now.” Noctis had successfully cornered him, and now he would pay for everything he had done to him, to his family, and to his friends.

“What’re you after, following me around all this time? It’s all _your_ fault-“

Ardyn tried to move, but Noctis reacted faster, putting an arm to his throat. The taller man’s hands tried to pry his arm off, to no avail.

“Do you really mean that, Noct?”

“What- are you saying it’s _not_?”

A look of pure hurt crossed Ardyn’s face, but Noctis didn’t see it, because the train shook so violently, and Noctis fell on the floor, his vision blacking out several times.

Then, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

The prince jerked away from the touch, only to find it was Ignis.

“Noct? Are you hurt? What happened?” the questions seemed to be endless, but he didn’t have time for that. He stood up, shaking off Ignis’s attempts to calm him down.

Ardyn was still on the train, and Noctis would find him.

Gladio was suddenly behind him, also trying to tell him to _stop_ for a second, trying to grab his arm. However, what Noctis lacked in strength, he had for speed, and he was out in the corridor once more, people wondering what was going on. Even so, the prince ran, searching out in all windows. Those windows gave no clear view of the outside if you were looking for someone, though, so he settled on getting somewhere else- above the train.

He ignored Ignis calling out to him, and Gladio’s threats of kicking his ass if he didn’t stop.

It only took him a minute or so to reach a balcony, and from there, he warped to the roof. He didn’t know what to expect, but he certainly didn’t think that he’d see Ardyn standing cowardly there, to keep him company.

But there was someone else too, someone he had wished to see, but not in those terms.

Prompto was also there, but Ardyn was pointing a gun at him.

Noctis’s instincts kicked in, and he swiped his sword, effectively getting the weapon out of Ardyn’s hands. The later turned to look at him, and the prince saw a familiar look of regret on his eyes, but didn’t dwell on it, because as a reflex, he pushed the larger man off the train.

However, out of all the things he expected to see, all the things he expected to hear, he didn’t think he would watch as his best friend fell, his hands grasping the air. His face, a pure mix of horror and shock.

In the midst of his own shock, his mind barely registered the events.

“How long were you in the dark? Did you never know of his small sacrifice for you?” Ardyn taunted him.

The prince managed out a gasp, but then the cold metal of the gun, his best friend’s gun, reached the back of his neck with force, knocking him out.

His last thought was about a certain blonde.

* * *

 

He woke up several minutes later, the impact of the gun not having much of a consequence right now. Even so, he hurriedly took out his phone, frantically using speed dial.

Ignis’s voice was on the phone not even two seconds later.

“Noct? Noct, are you alright-“

“Ignis, you gotta _stop_ this thing!” he didn’t even bother to let his friend finish speaking. He didn’t have time for that. He needed to find Prompto, and to know what Ardyn meant. He _needed_ to know.

Ignis was silent on the other end, wordlessly telling him to go on.

“Prompto was here, and I pushed him off the train,” he explained as fast as he could, trying to keep the tears away and to stop his voice from cracking. “I mean, Ardyn made me! I don’t know where he is, but we _can’t_ leave him!”

“Stay calm, Noct.” Ignis ordered him. “I am as concerned for Prompto as you are-“

But Noctis wanted to say that _no_ , Ignis would _never_ be as concerned for Prompto as he was, because he loved him-

“-but stopping the train would endanger everyone on board. We’d be sitting ducks for the daemons.”

“What do we do?!”

“First, we drop the passengers off at Tenebrae. We’ll be arriving shortly.”

“What about Prompto?!” he couldn’t help the anxious feeling on his chest that ripped through his heart, the guilt that he had just pushed his best friend off a train-

“Given the chancellor’s involvement, it’s probable he’s no longer were we left him.”

Noctis wouldn’t say it aloud, but the use of the plural pronouns made him feel better, like he wasn’t the only one at fault. He vaguely registered getting closer to a tunnel.

“In any case, he might find a chance and contact us. Let us wait and hope for now,” Ignis told him. Noctis didn't believe him. “Can you make your way here? Gladio’s with me.”

“A-are the two of you okay at least?” the prince asked, hope and guilt evident.

“Yes,” Ignis replied.

“Okay,” he said. “On my way.”

Inside the tunnel, he could see dark figures. Daemons. Perfect for the pent-up emotions on his brain and on his heart. “I’ll be there as soon as I take care of these stowaways.”

He had never fought so violently or with such _rage_ on his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading this! i love you  
> the sequel will come out soon, and i want it to have longer chapters, so i dunno if updates will be daily as well//  
> and i am not sorry at at all. just so you know, tHIS IS MY AU AND NOBODY DIES. SCREW YOU, FFXV TEAM.  
> anyway, thanks again!

**Author's Note:**

> i need more promptis in my life.  
> ::if there's any mistakes, criticism, canon stuff that i didn't add, just a comment, feel free to drop it below! i know it's hard for some of us to actually send a message, but it's okay! you don't have to be nervous about anything with me! you can tell me about the thing your friend did the other day, no matter what it was all about! anyway, better cut this off before i start rambling again. thanks for reading!::


End file.
